"Hitler's Stealth Fighter" Re-created

[Martyd3]

This is one bad ass replica!

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/20...hter-plane.html

[dluddy]

Very cool...Documentary airs Sunday

[docblackrock]

Never heard of this example before, but it's a familiar story (the Wunderwaffen)....

Makes sense though - the US controversially spirited away the best Nazi scientists (Werner von Braun) to help with the space program so the fact this plane, remarkably similar to its USAF modern equivalent in design and principle, existed 40 years before we even knew about Stealth planes doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

Still, aside from the "ahead of its time" angle, I don't really get the morbid fascination of things like this personally. I have a Spitfire pilot in my family tree and I find the whole story and capabilities of that plane infinitely more interesting.

[trailboss]

Pity it's static. If it flew it would be something.

Doc: I flowen in a two seater Spit. Great aeroplane, responsive beond belife and a lot of fun to fly (propper flight trainer, dual control). Especialy when you take it's age into acount.

Flowen in dual controll F4U and Lightning as well, unbelivable, esp the Lightning but the Spit and a D/C P51 also experianced are a different feel entirly and in their own way are just as exciting. Also flowen the CAF's B17 and B29 as well as B25, Neptune and others. That's a different thing again. Ten minutes at the helm of a B29 is somthing everyone should experiance.

I'm fortunate enough to have had a go at the controls of things from a 747, DC10, 707, Connies, Herc to DC4s and nothing gives you the feeling of being in control of a great hunk of metal hurtling thru the sky as a B29 does. The only thing that came close was a Sunderland. Actualy have a ground/water taxi lience for Sunderlands. I have a lot of others as well but that's the rareie.

Col.

[jdkno]

Well I think the fascination is two fold. One, how far ahead of the times they were with both weapons and aircraft design. Two, what they could have been capable of had the war dragged out a bit longer. Some of the weapons and aircraft they were designing could have turned the tide of the war in their favor, and when found a good bit of this experimental arsenal was pretty close to completion. Lets say the war did not end when it did and some of these weapons had been put to use, we could all be speaking German.

On the other hand this experimental weapons program could have very well been the fall of Hitler's Germany. When you put too much time, effort, research, and hope into experimental weapons maybe you start to loose sight of fighting the battle of today with today's technology. Maybe they got that "in 6 months when the _______ is ready we will use it to make up for our shortcomings today" mentality....that 6 months just did not come fast enough.

[TeeJay]

That looks awesome, and a fascinating story to go with it as well

[docblackrock]

Pity it's static. If it flew it would be something.

Doc: I flowen in a two seater Spit. Great aeroplane, responsive beond belife and a lot of fun to fly (propper flight trainer, dual control). Especialy when you take it's age into acount.

Col.

Col, to say I'm incredibly jealous would be an understatement - there's not many originals left that are airworthy. What Mk?

Sat in a static is about as far as I've ever got. I'd pay VERY good money to go up in one. Hard to believe such an old and 'little' plane was capable of hitting 50,000 ft and speeds approaching Mach 1.

Pilot was my great-uncle, and before his Alzheimer's took hold, when I was a kid I always remember him telling me just what a joy it was to fly. Particularly when he wasn't getting shot at repeatedly, flying reconnaissance. Likened it to his Jack Russell terrier - fast, highly manouevrable and with a bite as ferocious as its bark

[Steve52]

Very cool. Ihope it airs where I live.

[Corgi]

So their re-creation doesn't actually fly?

Well that kind of kills the whole documentary for me right there.